This application relates to rocket launchers and more particularly to an improved means for retaining and igniting rockets within a launcher tube.
A number of prior retention systems make use of detent or latch mechanisms which protrude into the launcher tube through holes in the side of the tube wall to engage the rocket and hold it in position. Such systems are unsatisfactory in that the necessary holes or slots in the launch tube walls become eroded by the rocket exhaust. Moreover such detents or latch mechanisms protruding into the launch tube interfere with the reproducibility of the rocket release loads.
Certain more recent systems have eliminated the aforementioned disadvantages of detents or latch mechanisms by securing the rocket in position in the launch tube by means of a shear pin engaged in a shear pin ring which is mechanically secured to the rocket launcher at the base of the rocket launcher tube so that the shearing force of the shear pin or shear pins determine the rocket release load. Such systems, however, have introduced the additional disadvantage of necessitating individual correct orientation of the rockets and/or electrical connections between the rockets and the launcher, thus increasing both the loading time and the incidence of non-functioning or mal-functioning of the rocket ignition systems.
Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a simple positive means for securing rockets in a loaded position ready for firing and for igniting the rockets which does not require any particular orientation of the rockets within the launching tubes or of any of the individual electrical connections for the rocket ignition system.
With the rocket retention and ignition assembly of the present invention the rockets are simply loaded into the rear end of each tube of the rocket launcher through a loading hole for each tube which permits passage of the rocket therethrough but which is too small to permit passage of a retention member, such as a shear pin ring, attached to the rear end of each rocket. First support means such as a rigid plate or bulkhead forming this loading hole thus engage the shear pin ring of each rocket and prevent any forward displacement of the rocket in its respective launch tube. A second support means such as a rigid plate is then connected to the rear of the rocket launcher to prevent rearward displacement of the rockets in their respective tubes. This second support means has an opening formed therein for each rocket to be secured, each opening being located at the rear end of a rocket thus allowing for the exit of rocket exhaust for as long as the rocket remains in the launch tube after ignition.
Each rocket has a first electrical contact at its rear end, preferably in the form of a contact ring extending about the periphery of the rear surface of the rocket. A second electrical contact is located adjacent each opening formed in the second support means and preferably is electrically connected to an electrical plug rigidly attached to the second support means. A co-operating electrical socket is attached to the support means beside each launcher tube. By simply placing each rocket in the firing position and orienting the second support means with respect to the first support means so that the electrical plugs and sockets are electrically connected to each other when the second support means is connected to the rear of the rocket launcher, contact is automatically made between the first and second electrical contacts. This results in a suitable electrical circuit being formed for firing the rocket.
Another object of the rocket retention and ignition assembly of the present invention is to avoid any need for loose plugs or wires such as those employed in some previous retention systems and any need for any separate "plugging" operation once the second support means has been connected in place. Such a separate plugging step might very well use up valuable time which could be better spent on other operations. The present system is strong and has great wear resistance, one reason being the lack of small, loose, or dangling parts which might easily be broken or lost. It will be appreciated that the wires of some previous systems can break, thus necessitating repairs which consume further valuable time or resulting in plugs being lost altogether.
A further object of the present retention and ignition assembly is to avoid the need for holes or slots in the walls of the launch tubes so that tube failure due to erosion is less likely or is at least delayed in comparison with the time before failure in tubes having holes or slots. The present invention also permits the use of known shear pin rings which are advantageous in that, because they remain in the tubes when the rockets are fired, they help to protect the surrounding first and second support means from the rocket exhaust and, as mentioned, they permit rocket release conditions to be accurately preset with the shear pins.